Marine life has been the source for the discovery of compounds having varied biological activities. Some of the U.S. patents which have issued for such inventions are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,814 for didemnins, having antiviral activity, were isolated from a marine tunicate; U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,366 discloses compounds, having antitumor properties, that were isolated from marine sponges from the genus Latrunculia; U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,590 discloses compounds, having antiviral, antitumor, and antifungal properties, isolated from the marine sponge Theonella sp.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,510 discloses compounds, having antiviral and antibacterial properties, isolated from the Caribbean sponge Agelas coniferin. Clearly, marine sponges have proved to be a source of several bioactive compounds, and a number of publications have issued disclosing organic compounds derived from marine sponges, including Scheuer, P. J. (ed.) Marine Natural Products, Chemical and Biological Perspectives, Academic Press, New York, 1978-1983, Vol. I-V; Faulkner, D. J., (1984) Natural Products Reports 1:551-598; Natural Products Reports (1986) 3:1-33; Natural Products Reports (1987) 4:539-576; J. Am. Chem. Soc. (1985) 107:4796-4798. Though marine life has been the source of useful chemicals, there remains a need to discover more compounds which can be used medically to treat a wide range of diseases afflicting animals and humans.
Specifically, there is a great need for substances which can inhibit or kill viruses and retroviruses. Viruses and retroviruses are responsible for many serious diseases which cannot be effectively prevented or treated at this time. Viruses have been implicated in disorders ranging from the flu to cancer. Recently, RNA viruses have been associated with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS Related Complex (ARC). Specifically, the viruses responsible for these conditions are referred to as human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). Although enormous sums of money and hours of manpower have been invested in an attempt to understand this disease, therapies and prophylactic compositions have proven to be extremely elusive.
The subject invention concerns sterol disulfates isolated from the marine sponge known as Petrosia weinbergii.